1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and to a method for appropriately terminating processing that is currently being performed.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, to terminate the use of a device, for example, a computer performs a predetermined end process in accordance with an end instruction. However, in an environment wherein multiple users can employ a device, problems may arise if they freely terminate the processing that is currently being performed or the operation of the device.
For a client/server system, for example, there is not merely one end process that is required in accordance with the situation, instead, there are multiple end processes, such as the termination of a client process or the shutting down of a system. The termination of a client process should be the responsibility of a client processing unit.
It is, therefore, one objective of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and method for preventing the execution of an end process that a user is not permitted to perform.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and method for using a password to control an end process.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and a method for appropriately terminating a client process in a client/server system.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and method for performing a specific process at a client processing unit in a client/server system.
According to one aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to an information processing apparatus comprising:
end instruction means for instructing termination of information processing;
end processing means for performing an end process when termination is instructed by the end instruction means;
input means for entering a password; and
control means for identifying the password and for controlling the end process performed by the end processing means based on the password that is identified.
According to another aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to an information processing apparatus comprising:
client means for, in accordance with an operation performed by a user, generating and transmitting a request for the performance of a process, and for receiving operating screen information and providing the operating screen information to the user;
server means for interpreting the request and adding object information to a database, and for generating and transmitting operating screen information to the client means; and
execution means for monitoring the database, and for detecting object information that is to be processed and for processing the object information,
wherein, in accordance with a specific operation selected by the user, the client means internally performs a process, instead of generating and transmitting a request for the performance of the process.
According to still another aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to an information processing method comprising:
an end instruction step of instructing termination of information processing;
an end processing step of performing an end process when termination is instructed at the end instruction step;
an input step of entering a password; and
a control step of identifying the password, and of controlling the end process at the end processing step based on the password that is identified.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to an information processing method comprising:
a client process for generating and transmitting a request for performing a process in accordance with an operation performed by a user;
a server process for interpreting the request and adding object information to a database, and for generating and transmitting operating screen information to the client process; and
an execution process for monitoring the database and detecting object information that is to be processed, and for processing the object information,
wherein in the client process, the operating screen information is received and provided for the user, and wherein, in accordance with a specific operation selected by the user, a corresponding process is performed by the client process, instead of a request for the performance of the process being generated and transmitted.
According to a further aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to a computer-readable storage medium on which a program for controlling a computer is stored, the program comprising codes for causing the computer to operate;
an end instruction step for instructing termination of information processing;
an end processing step of performing an end process when termination is instructed at the end instruction step;
an input step of entering a password; and
a control step of identifying the password and of controlling the end process at the end processing step based on the password that is identified.
According to one further aspect, the present invention, which achieves these objectives, relates to a computer-readable storage medium on which a program for controlling a computer is stored, the program comprising:
a client process for, in accordance with an operation performed by a user, generating and transmitting a request for the performance of a process, and for receiving operating screen information and providing the operating screen information to the user;
a server process for interpreting the request and adding object information to a database, and for generating and transmitting operating screen information to the client process; and
an execution process for monitoring the database and for detecting object information that is to be processed, and for processing the object information,
wherein in accordance with a specific operation selected by the user, a corresponding process is performed by the client process, instead of a request for the performance of the process being generated and transmitted.